"Measuring the effect of the Megaupload shutdown is complicated by its timing and the fact that the shutdown occurred worldwide," the report said. "However, immediately following the shutdown, there was a positive and statistically significant relationship between a country’s sales growth and its pre-shutdown Megaupload penetration."

The result: Digital sales and rentals for at least two major Hollywood studios rose by six to 10 percent higher than they would have if Megaupload had still been in business at that time.

While the study only covers the 18 weeks following the Megaupload shutdown by government authorities, IDEA believes the results "can inform the debate about anti-piracy regulations and may help to better understand consumer behavior in the presence of piracy."